Picker cylinder for rag-picking machinery



March 17. 1925. 1,529,826

H. G. ALEXANDER PICKER CYLINDER FOR RAG PICKING MACHINERY mama '31, 1924.!

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES 7 1,529,826 PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE G. ALEXANDER, OF SOUTH LONDONDERRY, VERMONT.

PICKER CYLINDER FOR RAG-PICKING- MACHINERY.

Application filed May 31,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIORACE G. ALEXAN- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Londonderry, in the county of lVindham and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Picker Cylinder for Rag-Picking Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a picker cylinder for use in the shredding of waste rags and other woven fabrics to produce shoddy. As ordinarily made, these machines are made with cylinders provided with teeth which tear the rags apart and separate the fibers from them so that they can be used over again. These cylinders usually are of wood and the teeth which are used for the purpose of shredding the rags are formed by nails or spikes driven through the cylinder. They get loose eventually and when they do, the holes in which they are placed are so enlarged that it is practically impossible to put them back. This involves considerable waste. Furthermore, the number that can be placed on the cylinder is limited.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a metal cylinder having a much longer life than the wooden cylinder and to provide means for mounting therein metal teeth which will stay in position and therefore outlast many times the nails and other points that are ordinarily employed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side View, with the frame or casing in section, of a rag' picking machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the cylinder partly in section on enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a radial sectional view of the cylinder;

Fig. at is a perspective view of one of the strips of teeth; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fastening means. therefor.

I have shown the invention as applied to an ordinary type of rag picking machine comprising a frame 10, a feeding table 11, feed rolls 12 and retaining plate 13. Properly driven by power is a shaft 14 carrying a cylinder 15 which rotates adjacent to the retaining plate. This cylinder in accordance with this invention is formed of metal 1924. Serial N0. 716,945.

and provided with a series of longitudinal grooves 16 having perforations 17 behind them for receiving fastening bolts 18. At the sides, these grooves 16 are olfset at 19 to form undercut recesses. In each of these grooves I place two sheet .metal plates 20 each having integral teeth 21 of av general triangular shape. These plates are provided with a ledge 22 on one side.

In setting the parts up, two of these plates are placed in each of the grooves 16 at its opposite sides with their ledges 22 projecting in opposite directions and fitting into the undercut recesses 19. The two plates, like the groove 16, extend throughout the length of the cylinder and the teeth on the two plates in the same groove are staggered with respect to each other. i The teeth of the two adjacent plates of consecutive grooves are also staggered. Between the-two plates I force a wedge-shaped retaining piece 2 1 and put one or more bolts 18 through this ex tending to the inside of the cylinder and fasten them with nutsinside. This fastens the two plates in the groove permanently although they can be detached for repairs and replacement. The ledges 22 fitting in the undercut recesses 19 prevent the plates from drawing out radially while the clamp ing piece 24 prevents their moving longitudinally or laterally. This forms a firm clamping means and secures the plates permanently in position although they can be taken out to replace them if they get broken or worn.

The particular construction of the cylinder may vary within wide limits. I have shown two spiders 26 at the ends fixed to the shaft 14 and shown here as bolted inside by bolts 27 to the cylinder 15. On the end I have shown end plates 28 having flanges 29 projecting inwardly over the edges of the cylinder. This constitutes a firm and mechanical way of mounting the heavy cylinder and securing the teeth thereto.

It will be seen that the teeth are of triangular shape and project from the cylinder radially so that they will shred the fabric properly and will not be bent unduly or if they are bent, it does not make them project any farther from the cylinder and consequently does not result in the striklng of the metal teeth against the metal retaining plate 13. That has been a fault which has been present in some cases and it is a very serious one because the striking of the metal parts. together causes sparks and results in fire. This is prevented here because any distortion of the teeth will make theinproject less than the; normal distance from the surface of the cylinder. They project to their maximum distance when they are new and are mounted in proper position.

On account of this construction I can provide the cylinder with many more teeth of the same fineness-than is -the case at present. Thiswimproves the efficiency of the machine.

Although I'have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention 1 am aware oft-he fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled. in the art without depart-ingfromthe scope of-the invention asexzpressedin the claims. Therefore I do not Wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described but what I do claim is-:-

1. In a rag picking machine, the combination with means-for feeding and holding the rags, of'a metal cylinder-havingnumerous meta-l strips located, longitudinally and having integral teeth arranged in-parallel relations thereon and extending therefrom radially for engaging the rags and shredding them.

means extending through the wall of the cylinder for holding the strips within the surface of the cylinder and projecting therefrom.

3. A cylinder for a machine of the character described consisting of metal and having a series of longitudinal parallel grooves along its surface, each having undercut recesses in its opposite sides, each groove being provided with two strips of metal each having an outward flange fitting in one of said recesses, and meanswithin the grooves for holding them, apart against the side walls of the grooves.

4., As an article of manufacture, a cylinder for the-purpose described having a: series of parallel grooves arranged on its surface, each groove having two undercut opposite recesses extending alongit, a series of strips of metal, each having flange at the edge and provided with afseries ofi teeth at, the opposite edge, said strips of metal being set into the grooves-at'opposite sidesthereof with the flanges turned outwardly so as to project into said undercut recesses, and fastening means located between thetwo strips in each groove forgholding the strips outwardly against the walls of the grooves with their flanges in therecesses, and means extending through. the wall of the cylinder for detachably holding said. fastening devices in position. 7

In testimony whereof I have: hereunto affixed my signature.

' HORACE G2, ALEXANDER. 

